Groundhog Day (Pennsylvania German: Grund'sau dåk, Grundsaudaag, Grundsow Dawg, Murmeltiertag; Nova Scotia: Daks Day) [1] [2] [3] is a tradition observed regionally in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year. Groundhog Day, in the United States and Canada, day (February 2) on which the emergence of the groundhog from its burrow is said to foretell the weather for the following six weeks. The beginning of February, which falls roughly halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox , has long been a significant time of the year in many Groundhog Day is almost here: What to know about the rodent, the shadow, and the weather Punxsutawney Phil is the most famous weather-predicting rodent, but he apparently isn't the most accurate Groundhog Day, celebrated every year on February 2, is an unusual holiday that stretches back hundreds of years back to European traditions and even ancient times. How is Groundhog Day Celebrated? Groundhog Day is famously connected to weather prediction, with the most prominent tradition involving a groundhog predicting the conclusion of The first Groundhog Day celebration in Punxsutawney was the brainchild of local newspaper editor Clymer Freas, who sold a group of businessmen and groundhog hunters—known collectively as the The first official Groundhog Day took place on February 2, 1887, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The event took up permanent residence at Gobbler’s Knob the following year. 3 of 15 | . FILE - The groundhog saw his shadow, Feb. 2, 1954, as the sun peeked through an overcast sky at Washington Park Zoo in Milwaukee, Wis. The arrival of annual Groundhog Day celebrations Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, will draw thousands of people to see celebrity woodchuck Phil at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa. — an event that exploded in popularity after the 1993 Bill Murray movie. The History of Groundhog Day. The Christian religious holiday of Candlemas Day has become most commonly associated with the current celebration, but it’s roots are older than that. The celebration started in Christianity as the day, (February 2nd), when Christians would take their candles to the church to have them blessed. In 1993, the film Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray popularised the use of the term ‘groundhog day’ to mean something that is endlessly repeated.It also popularised the event itself: after the film came out, the crowd at Gobbler’s Knob grew from around 2,000 annual attendees to a staggering 40,000, which is nearly 8 times the population of Punxsutawney. An unusual, yet beloved holiday February 2nd is Groundhog Day, the day when a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil predicts whether or not we will have six more weeks of winter. If he sees his shadow, more cold is on the way; if not, warmer weather is coming. While this holiday may seem like a silly tradition, it has a surprisingly deep history. Ancient Traditions What Is Groundhog Day? The Groundhog Day prediction is based on whether the groundhog sees its shadow. Groundhog Day is celebrated on February 2nd as a way of predicting the arrival of spring. The day’s events involve celebrations held early in the morning to watch the groundhog leaving its burrow. Groundhog Day is the 1st cross-quarter day of the year. Image via weather.gov. More Groundhog Day history. In the Celtic calendar, the year is also divided into quarter days Groundhog Day definition: 1. in the US, 2 February, which, according to an old story, is the day the groundhog wakes up after. Learn more. What is Groundhog Day? In the American tradition of Groundhog Day, the nation’s groundhog prognosticators take a stance on the season ahead. If the groundhog sees his shadow, he predicts six Groundhog Day is celebrated in Canada and the United States every year on 2 February. Legend has it that watching a groundhog emerge from its burrow can determine the weather forecast for the coming weeks. Home of Punxsutawney Phil in the Weather Capital of the World. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club invites to to celebrate Groundhog Day! Groundhog Day isn’t the only cross-quarter holiday that has stuck to the modern calendar: many people now celebrate May Day in honor of workers around the world, and Halloween also has roots in Groundhog Day 2024: Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow and more winter Punxsutawney Phil predicts more winter ahead. Groundhogs may not have a great track record when it comes to weather forecasts When is Groundhog Day? Groundhog Day is on February 2 every year. In 2025, Groundhog Day is on a Sunday. What is Groundhog Day? On Groundhog Day, the world looks to Punxsutawney Phil, a groundhog The meaning of GROUNDHOG DAY is February 2 observed traditionally as a day that indicates six more weeks of winter if sunny or an early spring if cloudy. How to use Groundhog Day in a sentence.
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